NESA Species Hunt 2013

[lumpsucker]

Welcome to the return of the NESA Species Hunt. The 2013 Species Hunt begins on the 1st of January and runs for the full twelve months of 2013. The challenge is to catch as many different species of sea fish as possible by rod and line from the shore. No prizes involved just a bit of fun. Download the card below, print it out, write your forum name on it and take it out fishing with you. Photograph each species alongside the card and post it on this thread.

Download the card here http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps564870dc.jpg

The card can also be used in the Lure Fishing Challenge run by Phillitofish so anyone doing both challenges does not need to take two photographs of each fish.


Same rules as last year ....

1. Catch as many different species of sea fish as possible. Each species type scores one point on the table. Catches must be fish - other creatures with the word "fish" in their name which are not fish are not eligable eg. hagfish, starfish, jellyfish etc
2. All fish must be caught by rod and line from the shore. Any tactics, baits or lures may be used. Fish caught by boat/kayak etc are not eligable.
3. Fish can be caught anywhere within the UK.
4. The challenge starts at 0.01am January 1st 2013
5. The challenge ends at midnight December 31st 2013.
6. To register a fish post a photograph of it on this thread with the 2013 card beside it in the picture.

And a new rule for this year ....
7. Fish must only be caught by being hooked in the mouth or by the hook being swallowed ("gut hooked"). Fish caught by being foul hooked through other parts of the body are not ......

Does catching migratory fish in freshwater count? Tidal stretches are no problem, so what about a salmon, sea trout, flatty, eel or whatever from a purely freshwater venue?

[Thunderpants]

If it is a species of sea fish then it counts. I doubt you would catch a sea fish in totally fresh water anyway as it would need to contain at least some salt to survive i.e. brackish water. This explains why How Do Sal****er Fish Deal With Osmosis? | eHow

If it is a freshwater species which lives in sea water for some of it's life (e.g. eels) then as long as it was caught in salt water it counts. So coastal and estuary areas. The Tyne for example has salt water as far up as Newburn so fish caught between there and the sea are allowed.

[lumpsucker]

Ive caught flounders all the way up the wear to the park at chester le street although the tidal stretch supposedly ends at fatfield bridge and theirs even a weir inbetween. Theres no way it could be described as brackish yet flatties are caught there every summer. Would an eel from there count? A flounder would, so what about an eel from the same place?

[Thunderpants]

I would say no if it is fresh water and a freshwater species. However this is a democratic species hunt so we can put it to the vote and if the majority say yes then it would be allowed. What would you want to do?

You could always check if the water tastes salty there too it may surprise you

[Bassboyo]

It's not just eels , what about salmon/ Sea trout? Does these only count if caught in the sea ? Dace can be caught in brackish water on the Tyne ?

[Thunderpants]

Ok lets vote on it then.

Please vote "Yes" to include migratory species like salmon, sea trout , eels etc when caught in salt water, or "No" for the hunt to contain species of "100% sea fish" only.

My vote - The migratory species mentioned spend a considerable portion of their lives in sea water so I vote "Yes" to those. Dace do not in my opinion.

It's not up to me though, it's up to you. So please vote and voice your opinions.

[codcatcher3000]

no to dace! trout and salmon with ample proof it was caught at a SALT WATER location. same with eels.

[Bassboyo]

IMO it's sea species challenge, so only sea fish (inc salmon & sea trout & eels) count but must be caught in SW.

[lumpsucker]

I vote migratory fish and eels caught in tidal stretches in.

[Stewart 1971]

A simple if inelegant way of putting it for me is:

A recognised salt water fish caught at a recognised salt water venue using recognised salt water baits, methods or tactics.

(So Salmon, Sea Trout and especially Eels are in)

[Thunderpants]

OK lads I have added it to the rules in the first post. Hopefully all should be clear now.

[Thunderpants]

Bass for me

[CosmicCat]

nice bass where u catch it mate

[Aqua-holic]

Pollock

[codcatcher3000]

flounder for me . unless its a shark ... but i think flounder .